All electrical connectors which are exposed to adverse environmental conditions require a cover or lid to seal and protect the electrical elements from grid, moisture and other elements. This is especially relevant in outdoor electrical connectors which are subject to a variety of weather conditions such as moisture, rain, snow and other environmental conditions.
Weatherproof electrical connector covers or arrangements are well known in the prior art for protecting the electrical contacts of the electrical connector. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,000 to Appleton discloses an electrical connector assembly having a hinge mounted cover which is normally biased by a spring to close off the open front end of the electrical connector. The interface between the lid or cover and the electrical connector housing is not waterproof by itself, and thus, the cover is provided with a foam gasket to seal the interface therebetween.
While many attempts have been made to provide a cover or lid for the opening of electrical connector, these prior art devices suffer from numerous disadvantages. Many of these prior art devices require many parts and are expensive to manufacture. In addition, many of these prior art devices do not provide a positive latch for the cover.
This invention addresses these needs in the art, along with other problems and needs which will become apparent to those skilled in the art once given this disclosure.